Mascara applicator and valve therefor



A ril 9, 1963 1.. c. ZlEGLER 3,084,374

MASCARA APPLICATOR AND VALVE THEREFOR Filed Nov. 1, 1961 28 4f 2/ K F \ll /6 l-2 INVENTOR. 100/5 6. ZIEGLER HTTOR/VEY 3,084,374 MASCARAAPPLICATOR VALVE THEREFOR Louis C. Ziegler, Skyline Drive, EnglewoodCliffs, NJ. Filed Nov. 1, 1961, Ser. No. 149,343 9 Claims. {CL 15-521)This invention relates to what are known as mascara applicatorsemploying a brush element movable into and out of the casing of thedevice in removal of mascara from the casing for brush application toeyelashes. More particularly, the invention deals with a valve device,through which the brush element of the applicator passes in the use ofthe device, said valve device having means forming vent passages forventing the storage chamber of the casing in the operation of insertingthe brush element into the casing so that objectionable leakages of themascara around the rod of the brush element are obviated.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from thefollowing description, when taken together with the accompanyingdrawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosedand, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable referencescharacters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged side view of a mascara applicator, with parts ofthe construction broken away and in section and diagrammaticallyillustrating part of the brush portion of the brush element.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 22 of FIG. 1, illustrating theinterior structure of the valve device.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale showing onlypart of the construction and illustrating the operation of the valvedevice in forming the air vent passages around the stem or rod of thebrush element; and

FIG. 4 is a section on the line 44 of FIG. 3.

In illustrating one adaptation and use of my invention, I have shown inFIG. 1 of the drawing a mascara applicator, comprising a casing 10,having a closed end, as at 11. Suitably fixed in the open end of thecasing is a valve supporting sleeve 12. The sleeve 12 has an outwardlytapered or flared bore 13, the outer end of the sleeve being threaded toreceive a removable cap 14 which seats upon an annular shoulder on thesleeve, said shoulder seating on a metallic decorative ring 16 whichseats upon the end of the casing 10, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 1.The sleeve 12 has a reduced inner end portion 17, upon which is mountedone of my improved valve devices 18 composed or rubber, synthetic rubberor other suitable flexible material. The device 18 is generallycupshaped in form and the annular wall 19 of the valve fits tightly uponthe reduced extension 17. The bottom wall 20 of the valve device has acircumferential aperture 21 therein fitting snugly and tensionally uponthe rod or stem 22 of the brush applicator. The inner surface of thewall 20 of the valve device has circumferentially spaced recesses 23,generally of the contour shown clearly in FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawing.The walls of the recesses 23 taper radially from the wall 19 to theaperture 21, as seen at 24 in FIG. 1 of the drawing and also noted inFIG. 3; thus, the recesses or grooves 23, by virtue of their contour,form four circumferentially spaced substantially half-round gripper padportions 25, the surfaces 26 of which are in alinement with the Wall ofthe aperture 21, as clearly seen in FIG. 2 of the drawing. It will,thus, be apparent that the pad portions 25 are of greater thickness atthe aperture 21, than the correspondportions of the recessed portions23.

The rod or stem 22 of the brush applicator or element has an elongatedbrush portion 27 at the end thereof, part of which is shown at the leftof FIG. 1, the brush portion 27 being fixed to a twisted strand 28, aswith other devices of this type and kind, the strand 28 being 3,084,374Patented Apr. 9, 1963 ice materially less in diameter than the diameterof the aperture 21 in the valve device.

In the use of the device, the cap 14 is first removed, which exposes theend of the rod 22 for engagement by the fingers of a hand and the brushelement is then withdrawn from the casing 10. In this operation, thewall 20 is pressed firmly in engagement with the end of the reducedportion 17 and forms a positive tensional wiper upon the rod 22 toremove mascara from the rod and, further, in the passage of the brushportion 27 through the valve, a surplus of the mascara is removed fromthe brush portion 12, leaving a required amount of the mascara thereonfor use in treatment of the eyelashes.

Turning now to FIG. 3 of the drawing, in replacing the brush element inthe casing, the passage of the brush element, including the brushportion 27 and the rod 22, through the valve device 18 in the directionof the arrow 29, FIG. 3 results in flexing the wall 20 in the mannerdiagrammatically illustrated in said figure by wiping engagement of 27and 22 over the gripper pads 25. As a result, the tapered walls formingthe recesses 23 are flexed in a manner to form, at the inner ends of therecesses 23, vent apertures 30, allowing air to pass from the bore Illof the casing 10 outwardly around the rod 22 for escape to atmosphere,as indicated by the arrows 31. In this connection, it will be understoodthat the fit of 22 in the sleeve 12 is a loose fit. When inward pressureis removed from the brush element, the parts will return to the normalposition shown in FIG. 1, effecting and maintaining a seal of the valvearound 22 at all times. In the sectional view of FIG. 4, thecircumferentially spaced vent passages 30 are diagrammaticallyillustrated between the pads 25.

With my valve construction, there is no build-up of pressure within thebore 10' of the casing 10 on insertion of the brush element thereintoand, accordingly, the rod or stem 22 is kept free and clear of mascaraat all times. Further, it will be apparent that the annular wall 19 ofthe valve device 18 may be utilized as a means for retaining the sleeve20 against displacement from the casing 11).

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desired tosecure by Letters: Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described employing a casing, a brushelement comprising a rod with a brush portion at one end of the rod andmovably arranged in one end portion of said casing, a flexible valvesupported in the other end portion of the casing, said valve having aflexible wall arranged transversely of the casing, said flexible Wallhaving an aperture therein of a diameter to snugly engage the rod ofsaid brush element to seal liquid in the first named end portion of thecasing, the flexible wall of said valve having a recess on one sidesurface thereof, leaving gripper pad portions at opposed sides of saidrecess, and said gripper pad portions extending to said aperture to beengaged by the rod of said element in movement of the element into saidcasing to flex said wall of the valve in a manner to form a ventaperture in registration with the recess of said flexible wall forescape of air from the casing of the device in said inward movement ofthe element into said casing.

2. A device 'as defined in claim 1, wherein a sleeve is mounted in [thecasing for support of said valve, said sleeve having an end portionnormally abutting the flexible wall of said valve, and the end portionof the sleeve abutting said flexible wall forming a backing, againstwhich said flexible wall is pressed in removal of the brush element fromthe casing to establish by said flexible wall a wiper movable over therod of said element.

3. In a device of the character described employing :a casing, a brushelement comprising a rod with a brush portion at one end of the rod andmovably arranged in s,os4,374

one end portion of said casing, a flexible valve supported in the otherend portion of the casing, said valve having a flexible wall arrangedtransversely of the casing, said flexible Wall having an aperturetherein of a diameter to snugly engage the rod of said brush element toseal liquid in the first named end portion of the casing, the flexiblewall of said valve having on one side surface circumferentially spacedrecesses, leaving circumferentially spaced gripper pad portions on saidside surface, and said gripper pad portions extending to said aperture(to be engaged by the rod of said element iu'm-ovement of the elementinto said casing to flex said Well of the valve in a manner to form ventapertures in registration with said recesses of said wall for escape ofair from the casing of the device in inward movement of the element intosaid casing.

4. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein the casing includes meansforming a backing engaging said side surface of the flexible wall of thevalve in withdrawal of the element from the casing, said means incombination with said flexible wall forming a wiper snugly engaging therod of said element.

5. A device as defined in claim 4, wherein said valve is generallycup-shaped in form and includes an annular wall, and the annular Wall ofthe valve being mounted on said backing means.

6. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said backting means comprisesan elongated sleeve mounted in the casing, said sleeve having a tapered'bore, and said sleeve being threaded for mounting of a detachable capin connection therewith.

7. A valve device having a flexible wall with an aperture therein, astern movable axially through said aperture, said stem fitting snuglyin' said aperture, said flexible wall having on a side surface thereof arecessed portion extending to the aperture therein, the remainingportion of said surfiace of said flexible wall forming thick gripper padportions engaged by said stern in movement through the aperture in theflexible wall in one direction to flex the Wall in providing, by'distonting said aperture, a vent passage through the aperture in saidwall and around said stem.

8. A valve device as defined in claim 7, wherein means is employedforming a backing engaging said side surface of said flexible wall ineffecting a positive seal of the wall around said stern in thenon-flexed position of said wall.

9. A flexible valve device of the character described comprising anannular wall with a closure wall at one end to form a generallycup-shaped member, the closure wall of said member having an aperturetherein, the inner surface of said end wall having circumferentiallyspaced recesses tapering radially from the annular wall to saidaperture, said recesses being spaced by circurnferent-ial gripper padsextending to said aperture, and the gripper pads, adjacent the aperture,being of greater thickness than corresponding recessed portions of saidend wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS210,872 Newton Dec. 17, 1878 2,436,291 Daniel Feb. 17, 1948 2,644,183Kellett July 7, 1953 2,703,898 Kellett Mar. 15, 1955

9. A FLEXIBLE VALVE DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING ANANNULAR WALL WITH A CLOSURE WALL AT ONE END TO FORM A GENERALLYCUP-SHAPED MEMBER, THE CLOSURE WALL OF SAID MEMBER HAVING AN APERTURETHEREIN, THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID END WALL HAVING CIRCUMFERENTIALLYSPACED RECESSES TAPERING RADIALLY FROM THE ANNULAR WALL TO SAIDAPERTURE, SAID RECESSES BEING SPACED BY CIRCUMFERENTIAL GRIPPER PADSEXTENDING TO SAID APERTURE, AND THE GRIPPER PADS, ADJACENT THE APERTURE,BEING OF GREATER THICKNESS THAN CORRESPONDING RECESSED PORTIONS OF SAIDEND WALL.